Between the paths and flowerbeds of the well-kept garden, which is frequently used for filming quality movies, you'll likely be moved admiring the replicas of some of Rodin's monumental works. One of these is the group of The Burghers of Calais: this bronze sculpture was commissioned by the mayor of Calais and depicts an episode that took place in the mid-1300s during the Hundred Years War: the king of England who had besieged the city offered to save it if six illustrious citizens came to him barefoot, wearing only a shirt and a rope around their necks, to deliver him the keys of the city before being executed. Look at the psychological effectiveness with which the artist manages to express the drama and anguish of the characters, but also their pride.
The last masterpiece you'll see is The Gates of Hell. This work was inspired by Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" and was commissioned by the Undersecretary for Fine Arts to be placed at the entrance of a new museum devoted to decorative arts. The building was never built, and the sculptor continued to work on this great, very complex statue for the rest of his life.
Inspired by Michelangelo, he wanted to create a monumental meditation on death, pain, redemption, and damnation. When he died, the gate still hadn't been finished; bronze castings were created based on the last of his plaster versions and drawings eight years later. Some of the sculptures that were initially designed for The Gates of Hell took on a life of their own, including a work that you will surely be familiar with: The Thinker, a symbol of human creativity.
FUN FACT: you should know that at 22, deeply shaken by the death of his sister Marie, Rodin decided to become a priest, but after a year as a novitiate, his superior suggested he pursue his artistic career instead. In the meantime the sculptor had made a bust, which he gave to his superior as a gift. But the work was not appreciated, and ended up in the barn!
Language: English